Desperate European Nations Are Considering Taxing Church Properties

For centuries, the church has enjoyed tax breaks and special
privileges that have helped them become the ridiculously wealthy
organization they are today. But as Europe's nations, cities,
towns, and the general public struggle through the economic
downturn, more and more people have called for an end to the
special treatment.

To be clear, the taxes would not be levied on actual Churches,
but rather, on their vast property holdings and commercial
businesses.

In effect, anything the church owns or operates that constitutes
a "non-religious" purpose,
reports the Washington Post. The revenue generated would
be substantial, one estimate putting the taxation figure at
roughly 3 billion euros ($4 billion) just in Spain.

Aside from Spain, Italy, Ireland, and Britain have also begun
efforts to tap into the Church's piggy bank, or simply stop
putting money into it. New laws have mostly been on the
municipal, city, and town wide level like in Spain's coastal city
of Buenavista del Norte, where the mayor is trying to
collect 6,000 euros ($7,850) from the church for a banana farm
and rental villa they own.

But Italy may represent the largest, and most striking example.
In February, Italian PM Mario Monti announced that the Vatican
was going to have to pay taxes on non-religious properties,
reports BBC
News. With over 100,000 properties valued at approximately 9
billion euros ($11 billion), the tax itself could be as much as
720 million euros ($946 million).

Not everyone is for the new taxes, the Church obviously being the
biggest opponent. Some politicians are also on their side though,
arguing that the social value of the church gives it a special
standing, and that in tough times like these, the church is
needed most. Then there is the question of what exactly will
and won't be considered a commercial property, or a non-religious
purpose. Would a sweet shop run by nuns count as a commercial
undertaking, or is it religious?